In recent years, there has become widely available an image processing apparatus of an analog type. Furthermore, there has being widespread a digital copying machine for processing digitized image data at the requests of recent technical enhancement and color images in addition to conventional analog image processing apparatus.
Moreover, instead of a product exclusive to an individual use such as a copying apparatus having only a copying function, a facsimile apparatus having only a facsimile function or a scanner apparatus having only a scanning function, there has existed a so-called digital combined machine in which the copying function, facsimile function and scanning function are combined with each other. FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a digital combined machine in the prior art.
As illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. 21, the digital combined machine 2100 comprises a reading unit 2101 for reading image data; an image processing unit 2102 for processing the read image data; a video controller 2103 for exerting various kinds of control on the image data; and a writing unit 2104 for outputting the processed image data onto a recording sheet.
Furthermore, constituent elements constituting a copying machine (i.e., the section of a copying machine) consisting of a memory control unit 2105 for controlling the storage of the image data and a memory module 2106 for holding the image data are connected to a facsimile control unit 2112 for additionally controlling facsimile transmission/reception, a printer control unit 2113 for controlling an input of image data sent from a personal computer connected to the outside, a scanner control unit 2114 for controlling an input/output of the image data in the case where the digital combined machine 2100 is used as a scanner and the like via a motherboard 2111. Consequently, it is possible to achieve various functions as the digital combined machine 2100.
Therefore, the section of the copying machine for serving the function as the copying machine comprises the reading unit 2101, the image processing unit 2102, the video controller 2103 and the writing unit 2104, where a series of operations are controlled by a system controller 2107, a RAM 2108 and a ROM 2109. Each of the facsimile control unit 2112, the printer control unit 2113 and the scanner control unit 2114 serves its own function by using a part of the series of operations established in the copying machine.
In other words, the function of the digital combined machine can be served by adding the facsimile control unit 2112, the printer control unit 2113 or the scanner control unit 2114 on the section of the copying machine constituted of the above-described group of constituents as one system.
In the above-described digital combined machine, a plurality of diverse kinds of image processing are performed in the video controller 2103 via the system controller 2107, and further, in the facsimile control unit 2112, the printer control unit 2113 and the scanner control unit 2114 via the motherboard 2111.
Moreover, instead of the digital combined machine in which the above-described units are added on the copying machine, there has been devised another digital combined machine, in which the functional section of the printer, the functional section of the facsimile and the functional section of the scanner are configured into units, the image data input from which is unitarily processed in a unit responsible for control or processing such as an image data control unit or an image processing unit under the control of a control unit for controlling the processing of the entire apparatus, although not shown.
Since such a digital combined machine is not designed in such a manner as to mainly orient to the copying machine, the image processing in the function of the copying machine is not specified. Therefore, it is possible to effectively use resources, to control the image data input or output from each of the units in the control unit, and to appropriately perform the image processing with efficiency. For example, when the reading resolution of the functional section of the copying machine is enhanced, it is unnecessary to re-design or re-construct all of the units according to the functional section of the copying machine, and thus, it is possible to appropriately perform the image processing with efficiency only by replacing the functional section of the copying machine.
In particular, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 237330/1994 titled “Image formation managing system” as the technique of achieving efficient image processing discloses the technique in which it is determined whether or not an apparatus is in an inoperative state, and then, a predetermined processing procedure (program) is loaded down in the case of the inoperative state; otherwise, predetermined data is loaded up at the optimum time except for the case where there is high possibility of use of the apparatus.
When the above-described technique is applied to the image processing, the processing procedures or parameters relating to the image processing required for a next operation are previously transferred in the inoperative state of the apparatus to achieve the efficient image processing in the digital combined machine in which a plurality of kinds of image processing need be performed.
Alternatively, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 91129/1997 titled “Image processing apparatus and method therefor” discloses an image processing apparatus and a method therefor which can continuously serve an operative function as it is irrespective of operation of a control program even during re-writing of a control program of the apparatus.
When the above-described technique is applied to the image processing, it is possible to enhance the productivity of a digital combined machine which need perform various kinds of image processing or control.
However, the prior art technology has experienced problems as described below. For example, when “the image formation managing system” disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 237330/1994 is applied to the digital combined machine (the image processing apparatus), the modification or addition of a processing program is restricted in the inoperative state of the apparatus. Consequently, there has arisen a problem that even if the necessity of the image processing based on a copying operation occurs during the image processing based on facsimile reception, it is impossible to change the processing program based to that on the copying operation.
“The image processing apparatus and the method therefor” disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 91129/1997 is directed to mainly an update of a program, where a program is not rewritten if it is not rewrittable; otherwise, the program is rewritten if it is rewrittable. Therefore, there has arisen a problem that at the request of image processing during another image processing, the image processing cannot be performed without deterioration of productivity.
Furthermore, in the digital combined machine in which each of the copying machine functional section, the facsimile functional section, the printer functional section, the control functional section and the image processing functional section and the like is configured into a unit, the efficiency in transferring the procedures or various parameters for the image processing to the image processing functional section may be relatively reduced as the result that various kinds of control processing are concentrated in the control unit responsible for the control of each processing. In view of this, there has been demanded for an image processing apparatus capable of efficiently performing a plurality of image processing without degrading the productivity.
Moreover, in order to prevent any deterioration of transferring efficiency in the control unit, if only the control section for transferring the procedures or various parameters for the image processing to the image processing functional section is configured independently of the other sections, special hardware is additionally required, thereby inducing an increase in cost, and further, departing from the object of the digital combined machine in which each of the functional sections is configured in a unit per function so as to effectively use each of the resources and appropriately perform the image processing with efficiency.